Lavender Rose​

I had held onto thorns for so long
I had almost forgotten the beauty of a rose
But like the morning dew after the evening rain
There you glistened
In the dawn
The sky momentarily as bright as your eyes
Cerulean
Alloyed with nickel and inspiration
As if manufactured by Aphrodite herself
My spirit compelled to converge to
Your wondrous soul
Wander through Eden
A parachute to curb the freefall
Slow my downward spiral
Taught me how to breathe underwater
And splash betwixt the puddles
You let me feel
More than just remnants of
Emotional paralysis and woe
Once, you said
I reminded you of honey
Bringing you a sense of
Warmth, trailed by a golden glow
And I knew that you must have
Felt something too

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Nani Neal
was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Despite earning a Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, her love of writing never left her. As a Black creative, she frequently
writes pieces exploring themes of race and femininity, where she is able to turn personal and systemic trauma into art. She is currently located in College Station, Texas, working on her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering.

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